Earplugs, Yay or Nay?

[Qnaza]

Indeed. The thing is, trumpet, which is certainly my focus, is highly directional, so actually, it's the folk in front of us who have greater effects of noise-induced hearing loss. A viola-playing mate of mine told me that they really do get the brunt of the brass. Worse possibly is the double-bass section in an orchestra, in front of the trombones, who are the loudest instruments in the orchestra.

Practicing in a small room as I do (and, I suspect, a multitude of TH users do?), even with some sound-absorbing panels, means that the trumpet sound has nowhere to 'go' except back to me!

And yes, earplugs are the obvious answer, but 'internal' instruments like singing and brass are a different kettle of fish. A guitarist or drummer with ER15 plugs hears everything they do, just 15 Db lower. After they've acclimatised to the plugs, the quality of music making is unimpeded.

However, we trumpeters, wearing similar plugs hears everything 15Db lower but also hears the internal sounds and tongue movements and such, so the whole musical experience is different, and to my ears, a whole lot less beautiful to be involved in from a musician's point of view.

It occurred to me that flugelhorn would be quieter in a small room, compared to trumpet? Does anyone know the actual difference in Db output between trumpet and flugel?

[Seymor B Fudd]